Darmstadt (dpa/lhe) – According to the Regional Council (RP) Darmstadt, more than 100 forest fires have already been reported in Hesse this summer. In view of the persistent drought, a “significant increase in the risk of forest fires cannot be ruled out in the coming week,” the authority said on Friday.

The German Weather Service classified the risk of a forest fire on Friday in the Rhine-Main area and around Darmstadt as “high”. The highest level of danger (5) applied at Frankfurt Airport. According to the RP, many barbecue areas and fireplaces near the forest have already been closed. Forestry offices and the police aviation squadron were ordered by the state to monitor local forest areas more closely.

The RP is the upper forest authority in the southern Hessian administrative district of Darmstadt.